Liturgy Alive Tuesday, January 19, 2021
Tuesday, 2nd Week in Ordinary Time
LAWS ARE SERVANTS OF PEOPLE
Readings:
Hebrews 6:10-20; Psalm 111:1-2, 4-5, 9 and 10c; Mark 2:23-28
Opening Prayer
Lord our God,
it is easier for us to seek safety
in observing laws and customs
than to be personally responsible
for the people around us
and to serve you with the freedom of love.
Give us a bit of your own fantasy,
send us the Holy Spirit to fill us
with your own inventive and creative love,
that we may ever seek new ways
to reach out to you and to one another.
Grant this through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Liturgy of the Word
First Reading Introduction
Our firm hope, the anchor of our faith, is that God made Jesus, our High Priest, according to the order of Melchizedek, a statement rather obscure for us, which Paul will explain further. In any case, our faith is based on the word of God and of Christ.
Gospel Introduction
The function of laws is to order relationships within the community so as to safeguard the rights of God and of the people around us, and to make us aware of our social responsibilities. Yet, experience tells us that it is a perpetual human temptation to turn laws into absolutes, to make people servants of the law rather than the law a servant of people. Jesus reminds us of the priority of people and the human community over the letter of the law.
General Intercessions
– That Christians may regard the commandments as doors to freedom from sin and evil and as ways to serve God and people, we pray:
– That lawmakers everywhere make laws that are humane and serve the good of all, we pray:
– That Sunday may be for us a special occasion to grow in love for those who are dear to us, to visit the sick and to serve the needy, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
God our Father,
you let the sun shine and the rain fall
over the fields sowed by the farmer
to satisfy his hunger with bread and rice.
Alleviate our hunger
for goodness and love and things that last
with the bread of eternal life,
Jesus Christ, your Son and our Lord,
who lives with you and with us,
now and for ever.
Prayer after Communion
God our Father,
we turn our laws and even yours
into absolutes by which we imprison
ourselves and others.
And then, you give us yourself in your Son
to remind us that what counts is
how we live for you and for one another
and share ourselves with each other.
Let this Eucharist fill us
with the mentality of your Son,
that we may be present to one another
with a liberating love.
For you have set us free from all servitude
through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Blessing
Laws are made for people, not people for laws. This applies also to God's laws. They are guidelines, helps for people, not instruments of oppression. May Almighty God bless you and help you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
